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WASHINGTON: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said India has now emerged as a business-friendly destination, more so with the upcoming implementation of landmark GST beginning next month, while asking CEOs of top US companies to invest in the country.

Modi also said India attracted largest foreign direct investment (FDI) as a result of the NDA government policies in the last three years, during his interaction with a group of CEOs of top 20 American firms.

In a round table interaction with the group, including Tim Cook of Apple, Satya Nadella from Microsoft, Sunder Pichai from Google, John Chambers from Cisco and Jeff Bezos of Amazon, Modi listed out steps taken by his government in the last three years and the planned moves in the future.

"The whole world is looking at India. 7,000 reforms alone by GOI for ease of (doing) business and minimum government, maximum governance,” Gopal Bagley, spokesman of the Ministry of External Affairs said in a tweet from inside the meeting, quoting the Prime Minister.

India's growth presents a win-win partnership for the country and the US, and American companies have a great opportunity to contribute to that, Modi told the CEOs, according to Bagley. "The implementation of the landmark initiative of GST could be a subject of studies in US business schools," Modi said.

During the hour-long interaction, at the Willard Hotel, where he is staying, Modi gave a patient hearing to the wish-list of the CEOs. Among other CEOs present at the meeting were Shantanu Narayen from Adobe, Ajay Banga from Mastercard, David Farr from Emerson, Doug McMillon and Punit Renjen from Deloitte Global. Mukesh Aghi, president of the US India Business Council, was also present at the meeting.

Posting a group picture of the prime minister with the CEOs, Bagley said, "strengthening the Indo-US economic partnership".

In a recent policy document, USIBC said the US-India commercial and strategic relationship supports global security, promotes economic growth and creates jobs for both countries and the global economy. "Today, as we witness a paradigm shift in the erstwhile global order, an opportunity has emerged for both countries to set new standards in bilateral ties that will be bound by their shared values," USIBC said.

Noting that US-India trade has tripled over the last decade, reaching a historic high of nearly USD 110 billion in 2015, USIBC said there is an opportunity for both the countries to also sync their regulatory and standards system to increase trade and investment.

In a separate statement, Jagdip Ahluwalia, executive director of Indo American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Houston, said the United States and India share a very symbiotic relationship, and Modi’s first face to face visit with Donald Trump is important to strengthen the relationship between the two.

"On behalf of Houston, the energy capital of the world and home of the world's largest Medical Center the IACCGH and the strong Indian American community hope to welcome Prime Minister Modi to Houston in the not too distant future,” Ahluwalia said.

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said today that "strategic issues" would be on the table when he holds talks with his "true friend" Prime Minister Narendra Modi here tomorrow, as the two leaders look to strike a personal rapport in their maiden meeting.

"Look forward to welcoming India's PM Modi to @WhiteHouse on Monday. Important strategic issues to discuss with a true friend!" Trump posted on his official (@POTUS) Twitter handle.

Modi, in his reply to Trump, thanked him for the "warm personal welcome" and said he was "greatly" looking forward to the meeting and discussions tomorrow at the White House.

Modi, who arrived here this morning, will hold summit talks with Trump tomorrow afternoon in the White House and the two leaders would spend several hours together in various settings including one-on-one and delegation-level meetings, a reception and a working dinner.

The working dinner that Trump is hosting for Modi is the first of its kind under the current US administration.

"The White House is very interested in making this a special visit. We're really seeking to roll out the red carpet. In fact, the two (leaders) will have dinner, a working dinner at the White House," a senior administration official told reporters at the White House. "This will be the first dinner for a foreign dignitary at the White House under this administration. So, we think that's very significant," the official said.

Modi was welcomed with loud cheers and applause by the Indian community members who were waiting outside the Willard InterContinental Hotel here to catch a glimpse of the Indian leader.

During his visit, Modi will also meet top American CEOs of global giants, including Apple, Microsoft and Google, here, with issues ranging from visas, investment and job creation expected to occupy centre stage during the discussions.

On the eve of Modi's US visit, the Trump administration had dismissed reports that it has been ignoring India, saying President Trump realises that the country has been a "force for good" in the world and ties with it were important. "I think that it would be wrong to say that this administration has been ignoring or not focused on India," a senior administration official had said. "I think that the US really appreciates India, and I think that President Trump realises that India has been a force for good in the world and that it's a relationship that's important. And I think that will come through in the visit on Monday," the official said.

The senior administration official made the remarks while responding to questions on whether the US-India relationship has drifted under the new government, in part, because of President Trump and the administration's support to China.

"I think it's a bit unfair. I mean, we're only six months into the administration. But there have been two very good phone calls between President Trump and Prime Minister Modi that you can point to as showing both countries' interest in the relationship," the White House official argued. "Yes, this will be the first opportunity for them to sit down and have a conversation, but I think that this is still fairly early on in the administration," the official said.

Meanwhile, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer had said President Trump and Prime Minister Modi would have a very robust discussion when they meet at the White House. "During the meeting, the President and the Prime Minister will discuss ongoing cooperation, including counter-terrorism, defence partnership in the Indo-Pacific region, global cooperation, burden-sharing, trade, law enforcement, and energy," Spicer had said.

On whether the contentious H-1B visa issue would come up for discussion during the meeting, a senior administration official said it was unlikely to be raised from the US side but if raised by the Indian side, the Americans were ready for it.

Ahead of the visit, Indian Ambassador to the US Navtej Sarna said the first face-to-face meeting between Prime Minister Modi and President Trump will give them an opportunity to look at the entire gamut of Indo-US engagement and to exchange views on issues of global interest.

"both their civil society and armed forces follow the same norms (ok the armed forces have more donts)...in india we have some contrived british norms and opacity for the forces-civilian divide which served our british rulers and their army very well, but is well past the sell by date. the brits themselves never practised it in UK only in colonial areas.

eg if people want to eat with hands, as 99% of indians do, why do the ridiculous NDA thing of white gloved waiters, cutlery and fixed time alloted to eat each dish before the white gloves appear again to unceremoniously whisk the grub away ? armed forces should reflect our society not some contrived "superior manners" of the former brit ubermensch. amirkhan army canteens are functional with buffet style food, bottled water and sodas and salt n pepper containers on cheap collapsible furniture. they dont make a big show unless maybe on some special occasions."

Very good point. We continue to have bewigged judges and lawyers, Jayram Ramesh excoriates graduates for wearing gowns and caps—suggesting a colonial mentality and yet he is part of a parliament and political elite that is more brit than the brits. The Armed forces are locked in a bygone era": messes etc. Jyoti Basu, that anti-imperialist, always spent his summers in London in order I presume to get more of that Karl Marx aura.

I guess you can take the brits out of India but you cant take britishness out of an Indian

Following up from the now-locked previous avatar of this thread, I'm beginning to understand the contract between military and others.

The military is provided unlimited budget, futuristic weapons, great respect by the rest of the nation, free college education, great medical care and benefits, blanket immunity to war crimes and in return, they are expected to go and fight whatever wars the elites ("the deep state") sign them up for.

would be better if they can press on cheen to stop protecting jihadis from getting added to the UN list - which can be of some pain.

looks like the big guy is moving and the small guy hiding behind is getting exposed

This means all Americans are now "generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with Salahuddin and all of Salahuddin's property and interests in property subject to United States jurisdiction are blocked," the US state department said in its notification. In short close to nothing responce on ground..

I feel that is very cosmetic too. Pakistan's greatest offering to Cheen and Massa is geography, and all these vermin such as Salahuddin and the Pindi jarnails are merely there to ensure continuity of the service offering. It will take some out of the box thinking to ensure there is no geography to offer, and hence we need to double down on supporting Balochi freedom fighters. In that, the US cannot, or will not help. So like Karthik S said above, it needs a Mossadesque determination to get things done. It's either that, or empty feel good/bhai-bhai stories of the like that Bandit Nehru peddled.

Please call me when TSPA is designated a terrorist entity which it is.It has killed SDREs, Afghans, and continues to do so, and in the past, Lily white boys serving in AfPak. And TSPA are no less barbaric than ISIS in the manner in which they use be-heading to spread terror and traumatize their victims.

On another note, I don't know why ModiJi agreed, but there is going to be a joint press conf. If anybody watches that, let me know if it was a racist, puke-worthy spectacle where the sea of nationalist, self-obsessed reporters completely ignore the SDRE PM and only ask questions to Trump about Russia, Comey etc.

15:25 Modi, Donald Trump to take 1 question each from reporters: Before their working dinner at the White House tonight, US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address reporters. In a change of plans, the US and India have changed their earlier stand of no questions allowed - instead, after a joint statement is issued on their meeting, each leader will take one question selected in advance.

Washington Post carried the entire presser live ................. all the way to Trump directing Modi with his hand on Modi's back, back into the Oval Office!!!

On the lack of news reporting, I think both Modi and Trump - alike - are not too fond of the media. Both are horse traders and would feel better if they make a deal and push it through. The other thing I noticed is that Trump made noise about the Malabar exercises, as the "largest" ....... mentioned US military products as the best and that he appreciates India buying them, etc, etc, etc. All the time his aids were pushing the equal-to equation. If this really continues, the region will get very interesting. And, I expect it to continue.

Disappointing that Indian PM did not get too much media exposure, likely reflects our good non-controversial behaviour. Some other lesser world leaders have gotten better coverage because they are in american thoughts and minds for various reasons.

Gus wrote:basically the american media has no other way to cover india, other than the drain inspector angle and the nuke flashpoint angle ..

they don't have any fresh perspective to the changed narratives of now.

simply put - they cannot cover modi even if they wanted to, unless it is some negative stuff that confirms their old biases.

The "Caucasian White Press" in general and the "American Press" in particular are in cognitive dissonance. Turning around the narrative would be accepting their falsehood all along and they don't want to do that.